The Excruciating Excellence of Exercise

As you may know, I have been losing weight for about the last year. In continuing that effort, I have also begun to exercise. I am now in week five of exercise and my initial excitement is definitely beginning to wane. What started out as challenging and a little exciting has now become slightly mundane and boring (even though I have been adding on extra time). The first couple of weeks were great! I saw great results and that definitely motivated me to continue on. Now, however, watching and following the same people doing the same moves has lost its spark. I would rather go for a walk/jog in the park and come home for some good pilates stretching (which I will begin to do once the weather permits it). Much of my motivation to press on at this point is my own stubborn will. Last week I was a bit of a slacker partially because I had a bum shoulder and partially because of pure exhaustion. I am now back on track. Granted, this morning I woke up with a stomach ache, but I persevered and pushed through a 30 minute work out. I felt much better after that. I really am going somewhere with this!

As I sat on my couch this morning, contemplating these feelings, I was struck by how much this all actually relates to faith. We start beleiving for something and start to see immediate results as we begin to seek the Lord in prayer and in His Word and we become really excited about what we are seeing. Then, as we let our time in the Word and in prayer become mundane, we become apathetic and bored as we strive to continue in our pursuit. This is were a focus shift needs to happen. That is what hit me this morning. What am I really working out for? To be healthy? To look toned? To feel more energetic? Yes, yes and yes, but which goal is actually the one that will keep me going beyond the point that I feel I have reached my goals? The answer is definitely long-term health and the desire to keep that healthy life giving blood pumping through my veins. This doesn't happen by half-hearted pursuit. It is through the daily desire to do and give my best so that I may reach the highest goal.

In my faith, it is that desire to seek God, even when I am not always seeing evident results, that gets me through. To push through, even when I don't feel like it. It is when I take my eyes off of myself and focus on God that my joy and energy are renewed. Then, down the road, when I take a look back, I can see the progess that God has wrought in me. The changes that He has made. The weight that He has removed and replaced with strength. God is so faithful!!!
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb 11:1

Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness and for doing a work in me that you will complete unto life eternal! I love you Jesus! Amen